Today is the last chance for residents across Orange County to cast their ballots in the 2026 midterm election and decide on a handful of local tax measures, a host of city council races, two races for the OC Board of Supervisors as well as several state and congressional races.
All 191 vote centers will be open today from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
To find the nearest vote center, click here.
Residents also have the option to vote by mail or drop off their ballots at one of more than 128 drop box locations across the county.
To find the nearest drop-box, click here.
The OC Registrar of Voters is expected to start rolling out the results on their website a little after 8 p.m. Tuesday, with results continuing through the night until every vote center has sent in results to the county according to Registrar Bob Page.
What’s on The Ballot?
Voice of OC this year rolled out a new election page to keep residents informed on key races including two OC Supervisor races, roughly a half dozen tax measures, a host of city council races as well as notable state and congressional races.
In south Orange County, Supervisor Katrina Foley is running for re-election against challenger Assemblywoman Diane Dixon in a race for the fifth district that’s drawn millions of dollars in special interest spending.
Foley’s backing largely comes from county public safety and general unions, while Dixon’s biggest supporters are a coalition of oil companies and a Republican donor group dubbed the Lincoln Club.
In north Orange County, Buena Park Mayor Connor Traut and OC Board of Education Trustee Tim Shaw are running for an open seat to represent the county’s Fourth District.
While county unions are spending heavily in support of Traut, Shaw hasn’t received much special interest support outside of a couple hundred thousand dollars in ads from real estate interests.
At the state level, two sitting democratic Santa Ana City Council members are facing off to represent Santa Ana, Anaheim and Orange at the State Assembly, with millions of dollars pouring into the race from special interests like big tech and oil companies.
Out west near the coast, Chris Kluwe, a former punter for the Minnesota Vikings, is going up against Republican Huntington Beach Councilwoman Gracey Van Der Mark to represent a stretch of coastal OC at the State Assembly.
Voters in seven different OC cities will be weighing in on a variety of tax related measures – most of which ask voters to increase local hotel tax rates – as elected officials continue to struggle to balance municipal budgets.
In Santa Ana, nine candidates including three incumbents are vying for four seats on the city council including the Mayoral seat amidst recent concerns city officials unveiled a new aquatic center before it was actually open to the public to help incumbent campaigns.
In Anaheim, Mayor Ashleigh Aitken is running for reelection against two relatively new political newcomers amidst damning allegations she drank heavily at government functions, called her Chief of Staff Berenice Ballinas a “dirty Mexican” and constantly questioned her sexuality.
Aitken has publicly admitted to struggling with alcoholism but denies hurling racist and homophobic slurs.
And in Huntington Beach voters are set to pick four city council members amid a hotly contested election from a slate of Democrat candidates calling for reform as the incumbent Republican city council members look to hang onto their seats amid a series of losing lawsuits against the state.
For more articles on key city races, click here.
At the congressional level, Republican Congressman Ken Calvert is facing off with Republican Congresswoman Young Kim to represent a newly formed district under Prop. 50 that covers large chunks of Riverside County and parts of eastern OC.
Editor’s note: Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken’s father, Wylie Aitken, chairs Voice of OC’s board of directors.
Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at helattar@voiceofoc.org.
Noah Biesiada is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at nbiesiada@voiceofoc.org.
